Stamp of Jiang in composition of top party body

Nov 16, 2012, 06.15AM ISTPTI

BEIJING: As Xi Jinping formally took charge of China, other members of the new allpowerful committee stood at their allotted spots marked with numbers on the floor. The man on the No. 2 spot was Li Keqiang, 57, who will replace Wen Jiabao as premier.

Xi has often been called a 'princeling' as he is the son of the late Xi Zhongxun, a respected Communist elder. However, he was 'sent down' to the countryside to live and work alongside peasants during Mao Zedong's 1966-76 Cultural Revolution. Many of China's other new rulers too are part of the 'red nobility' - scions of politically important families. They are considered conservative, which would leave little or no possibility of liberalizing the authoritarian rule.

A scholar of Chinese politics, Bo Zhiyue, was quoted in the New York Times as saying, "I think the emphasis is on continuity over change this time around." This is bound to disappoint many among the Chinese elite who expect Xi to support more openness in the country's political and economic system.

But, Xi demonstrated that he would be his own man, with independent thinking. "Our people have an ardent love of life. They wish to have better education, more stable jobs, more income, greater social security, better medical and health care, improved housing conditions, and a better environment," Xi said.

The other Standing Committee members listed according to their party rankings are: Zhang Dejiang, 65, Yu Zhengsheng, 66, Liu Yunshan, 64, Wang Qishan, 63, and Zhang Gaoli, 65. At least three of the seven members, aged 65 or above, are expected to retire after completing a fiveyear term, giving Xi more flexibility to create proteges and backers along the way.

Three proteges of the outgoing leader Hu Jintao - Li Yuanchao, Liu Yuandong and Wang Yang - did not make it to the Standing Committee, suggesting that former president Jiang Zemin had managed to sideline Hu.

Xi has shown early signs of making resurgent nationalism as his political plank to deal with internal strife, the turbulence in Tibet, and sword clanging with Japan over disputed Diaoyu Islands.

Tibetan teen puts self on fire, dies

ATibetan teenager on Thursday committed self-immolation in Qinghai province as China unveiled its new leadership led by Xi Jinping to rule the country. This is ninth suicide since the 18th Communist Party congress began on November 8.